Customers still complaining about consignment store

Terri's Consign and Design has been here in the Valley for years and eventually grew to 10 stores.

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However, the business's owner admits she is struggling. She has closed down several stores to make ends meet and she's asking customers to bear with her.

"I'm glad to say that we're working very hard to get everyone caught up and we're on the way and Terri's is back in good standing," Terri Bowersock said in a 3 On Your Side report in May.

Bowersock acknowledged she had problems paying some of her customers.

"These people will all get paid," she said. "As a matter of fact, it's all going to be right in a month."

But two months later, 3 On Your Side is continuing to receive complaint after complaint from people who say Terri's Consign and Design sold their belongings but that the store never passed on the proceeds to them.

Malenfant is one of the dozens of people who wrote to 3 On Your Side looking for answers.

"I'm really upset because they sold my items and they were paid for and we haven't seen any money," she said.

So 3 On Your Side sat down once again with Bowersock to find out why so many of her customers are still complaining.

"We're facing something we have never seen before," Bowersock said.

Bowersock blames the sluggish economy, saying that after she pays most of her overhead there's little cash to pass on to the customers she owes.

But she also told 3 On Your Side that she is determined to stay in business and pay her customers.

"We've got our corporate office up for sale," Bowersock said. "We've downsized and we've only got four stores so we had to take some really quick action to get out of that."

That quick action, she says, also means she hasn't paid herself in three years.

Bowersock says she's taking corrective measures and doing what she can to get her customers paid, something she says she doesn't take lightly and believes putting the issue on TV doesn't help.

"If you want to take a company down, this is how to do it " Bowersock said.

But customers like Malenfant say they deserve to know what's going on and although she has answers now, she'd still like to be paid soon.

"I'm very upset that they sold my furniture and are withholding our money and I don't think it's fair," she said.

"We're going to do everything we can do to stay in business and we are going to stay in business and get everyone paid," Bowersock said. "That is my promise."

Bowersock says because she has downsized her staff she only has one person answering her phones. So if you're a customer and you'd like to know where your money is, she recommends e-mailing her at myaccount@eterris.com